Many million dollar pieces are even fetching bids twice the amount predicted, as wealthy buyers appear more than ready to spend again.

The newest branch to take the lead is in Hong Kong, where a rare blue diamond from the De Beers Millennium collection was just purchased for over $6 million and just today an imperial white jade seal from the 18th century went home with an Asian buyer for $12.29 million - breaking the world record for both white jade and imperial seal sales.

There's no doubt about the Chinese auction market taking a strong lead, but New York, Paris, and Geneva aren't doing too poorly either.

In recognition of Sotheby's new burst of success, we've brought you a gallery of the most expensive and spectacular pieces ever sold by the famous house from around the world, and the million dollar stunners that are hitting the auction block in the upcoming days.

Brilliant-cut rare blue diamond - Geneva - $ 2.3 Million

www.sothebys.com

Predicted Price: $800,000 - 2,000,000

Sold For: $ 2.3 Million

Auctioned on: November 17, 2009

A brilliant-cut is the most difficult to obtain from a rough diamond and the one that causes the most weight loss of the stone. Still, it looks like the choice paid off with a $2,373,152 auction sale price for this 3.17 carat platinum-mounted ring. The huge price tag also has a lot to do with how seldom blue diamonds are found in nature, and how rarely they appear at auction.

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Imperial Jade seal - Hong Kong - $12.3 Million

www.sothebys.com

Predicted Sale Price: $4,000,000 - 6,400,000

Sold For: $12.3 Million

Auctioned on: April 8, 2010

One of the most expensive things every auctioned at the Hong Kong Sotheby's branch. According to Sotheby's, the seal, which stands 1 3/4 in., is "made of a circular white jade that has a russet skin. The face of the seal is deeply carved with the four characters tai shang huang di "Treasure of the Emperor Emeritus." The seal was made in 1796.

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Martin Kippenberger painting - Amsterdam - $ 1.4 million

www.sothebys.com

Predicted Sale Price: $270,000 - 400,000

Sold For: $ 1.4 Million

Auctioned on: March 8, 2010

Dinosaurierei (Dinosaur Egg) is a 94 1/2 by 78 3/4 in. oil on canvas painted in 1996 by the German artist Martin Kippenberger (1953 - 1997) before his sudden death at the age of 44.

This painting belongs to the iconic "Egg" series - a signature motif for Kippenberger, of which he said, "Justice hasn't been done to the egg, justice hasn't been done to fried egg, Warhol's already had the banana. An egg is white and flat, how can that turn into a coloured picture?"

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Sketchbook of a British settler - Melbourne - $830K

www.sothebys.com

Predicted Sale Price:$373,000 - 560,000

Sold For: $830K

Sale date: May 5, 2009

A sketchbook of 30 folios containing 26 watercolors, two wash drawings, and six pencil sketches, together with a separate ink drawing by another hand and two handwritten sheets. The book is ascribed to Edward Close, a British settler (1790-1866), soldier, engineer, magistrate, Legislative Councillor, and settler.

Sotheby's called it, "one of the most beautiful, charming and significant artifacts of early Australian colonial culture (...) its component watercolours constitute a notable part of the rich visual culture of the Macquarie era (1809-1821)".

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De Beers rare blue diamond - Hong Kong - $6.4 Million

www.sothebys.com

Predicted Sale Price: $4,640,000 - 6,000,000

Sold For: $ 6.4 Million

Auctioned on: April 7, 2010

A piece from the De Beers Millennium collection that pushed New York City from it's second place spot of diamond auctioneer, with Hong Kong now taking its place. The rare blue 5.16 carat diamond, all natural and distinguished by flawless internal quality, was purchased by Moussaieff Jewellers Ltd.'s founder Alisa Moussaieff, who beat out Asian rivals for the gem.

The De Beers Millennium Collection, which had its debut in 2000, is made up of 12 rare gems that took decades to assemble.

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Kadinsky painting - New York - $10.6 Million

www.sothebys.com

Predicted Sale Price:$6,000,000 - 8,000,000

Sold For: $ 10.6 Million

Auctioned On: November 4, 2009

A 1932 Kadinsky oil painting from a private collection. The 39 5/8 by 47 3/8 in. canvas, titled Krass und Mild (Dramatic and Mild), is signed and dated. According to Sotheby's, "Kandinsky believed that particular arrangements of shapes triggered an "inner resonance" or "spiritual vibration," and could elicit from a viewer a powerful emotional response. Jagged solid forms, arcs, grids, triangles and circles, whether overlapping or adjacent, were strictly non-representational and created only to celebrate the beauty of form for form's sake."

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Van Dyck oil painting - New York -$ 7.2 Million

www.sothebys.com

Predicted Sale Price: $5,000,000 - 7,000,000

Sold For: $ 7.2 Million

Auctioned On: January 28, 2010

A 18 1/4 by 25 1/2 in. oil by Sir Anthony Van Dyck (1599 - 1641) - Two Studies of a Bearded Man - raised millions for the auction house at the start of 2010. In this study, Van Dyck paints the same man from two different positions, one with a looming glare towards the viewer and one in bust-length. It was painted by the young artists when he was still training with Rubens in his studio, already recognized by Rubens (who kept a large numbers of Van Dyck' studies which were found saved in his studio after his death) as a master.

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Picasso painting - Paris - $1.5 Million

www.sothebys.com

Predicted Sale Price: $335,000 - 470, 000

Sold For: $1.5 Million

Auctioned On: March 24, 2010

Picasso's (1881 - 1973) Portrait of a Woman was done by the artist in gauche, wash and ink in June of 1945. The subject is Françoise Gilot, a young painter Picasso had met a couple of years earlier. Of Françoise, Picasso's friend, Brassaï said in 1964, "all youth - 17 or 18 years old - passionate for paining, impatient to show her talents (...) I was stunned by the vitality of this young woman, her tenacity to triumph over obstacles." Apparently, Picasso and the million dollar bidders were too.

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Ming Dynasty flask - Paris - $2.2 Million

www.sothebys.com

Predicted Sale Price: $308,000 - 460,000

Sold For: $2.2 Million

Auctioned On: June 11, 2009

A Ming Dynasty Yongle Period (1403 - 1424) flask with flowers of the four seasons was another top Hong Kong seller. All 17 inches of it.

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Imperial pearl court necklace - Hong Kong - $ 8.7 Million

www.sothebys.com

Predicted Sale Price: $1,031,000 - 1,547,000

Sold For: $8.7 million

Auctioned on: April 8, 2010

This 18th century Qing Dynasty necklace is made of 108 flawless Eastern pearls - one of the most precious materials used exclusively for the royal family. There are only five of these in China, all located in the Palace Museum in Beijing.

Upcoming Auction - Persian decorative box - London

www.sothebys.com

Predicted Sale Price: $768,000 - $1,076,000

Up For Auction On: Apr 14, 2010

This decorative 6.8 in. by 3.5 in. storage box with a single ruby will probably fetch well over one million dollars. As Sotheby's says, this piece, "highlights the exceptionally refined masterpieces produced by Persian goldsmiths working for the Ottoman court at the beginning of the sixteenth century. Its ornamentation is unmatched in elegance and skill."

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Upcoming Auction - Diamond Pendant Earrings - New York

www.sothebys.com

Predicted Sale Price - $600,000 - 800,000

At Auction On: April 20, 2010

J and H colored diamonds clips from the private collection of Patricia Kluge. The pendants are set at the top and bottom with pear-shaped diamonds weighing 13.16, 11.83, 9.33 and 8.74 carats.

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Upcoming Auction - Persian Vase - London

www.sothebys.com

Predicted Sale Price: $460,000 - 770,000

At Auction On: April 14, 2010

Ten figures are set against a a ground of scrolling foliage in shallow relief on this Persian monochrome vase from the Parish-Watson Collection. This piece has been featured in the most prestigious exhibitions since the 1930s and is now up for grabs.

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Upcoming Auction - Autographed telegram by Abraham Lincoln - New York

www.sothebys.com

Predicted Sale Price: $ 500,000 - 700,000

Up For Auction On: April 14, 2010

This signed telegram was sent by Lincoln from Washington on May, 25 1862, to Major General George B. McClellan. It gives "one of the sharpest orders issued by the most militarily involved of all presidents: 'you must either attack Richmond, or give up the job and come to the defense of Washington'," said Sotheby's.

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Upcoming Auction - Bronze 18th century table - Paris

www.sothebys.com

Predicted Sale Price: $471,000 - 606,000

Up For Auction On: April 2010

This end of the 18th century Russian-made bronze, marble, and gold table is attributed to Andre Voronikhine (1759-1814). It stands 28 1/3 in., is 28 1/3 in. in diameter and is up for auction from a private collection. The top mosaic is made from exceptionally rare Russian minerals, with the piece being most likely commissioned for the Stroganoff palace in Saint-Petersburg.

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Upcoming Auction - Yellow diamond necklace - New York

www.sothebys.com

Predicted Sale Price: $2,000,000 - 3,000,000

Up For Auction On: April 2010

This necklace from naturally-colored, internally flawless brilliant-cut diamonds weighs a total of 100.17 carats and is mounted in 18 karat gold. It came from a private collection, where will it go next?

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Upcoming Auction - John Frederick Lewis oil painting - New York

www.sothebys.com

Predicted Sale Price: $1,000,000 - 1,500,000

Up For Auction On: April 2010

An oil on panel painting by the British Lewis (1805-1876) depicts an encampment in the desert of Mount Sinail and is signed and dated 1862. The piece was commissioned by the fourth Marquess of Londonderry, with a request of Lewis that, "According to our convention in conversation, I hope you will accept a commission to paint a picture for me of ourselves, a party (...) the price 200 guineas. . . . You must take your own time etc. but I am sure you will agree with me that the sooner the work is accomplished the better for all of us."

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Upcoming Auction - Courbet oil painting - New York

www.sothebys.com

Predicted Sale Price: $700,000 - 900,000

Up For Auction On: Apr 2010

The Sleeping Woman by Gustav Courbet (1819 - 1877) is up for auction from a private collection. The 25 5/8 by 31 7/8 in. oil on canvas was a product of Courbet's speedy attempt to finish in time for the March deadline of the May 1864 Salon. His first two hopeful submissions were damaged in his studio, this one, which he excitedly described as, "two nude women, life size and painted in a manner that you have never seen me do.", made it in time.

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Upcoming Auction - Diamond, ruby, and gold anklet - New York

www.sothebys.com

Predicted Sale Price:$460,000 - 770,000

Up For Auction On: April 2010

This diamond and ruby-set gold anklet was made for the 19th century Maharaja of Morvi and is dated 1897. It consists of 18 gold-wrapped twirling links. Worn by noblemen on their right foot, these anklets were presented at court as a symbol of honor and status.